Black Myth: Wukong Sets Sales Record, Chinese Gaming Industry on the Rise

Black Myth: Wukong, a Chinese video game, sold over 10 million units in just three days, marking a first for China and a significant step in the global gaming market. Dino Ying, chairman of Hero Games, an early investor, anticipates more top-tier games on the horizon.

Ying was aware of another AAA game in development but kept the details confidential. He hinted that sales for Black Myth: Wukong exceeded initial projections, though not by double. Future games will launch with a global focus.

China's gaming market is vast, with 600 million gamers. Historically, AAA games, known for high-quality graphics and marketing, were rare from Chinese developers due to the long production times and costs, which favored mobile games.

Hero Games invested heavily in Game Science, the developer of Black Myth: Wukong. Despite earlier failures, Ying saw potential and described the game as the best he'd ever seen.

Tencent purchased a 5% stake, promising no interference. China's government, after tightening controls on gaming, approved Black Myth: Wukong without changes. Ying felt regulations were now more supportive.

Domestic game sales in China reached 147.27 billion yuan in the first half of the year. However, console games made up just 0.5% of that. Ying noted a surge in PlayStation and graphics card sales post-launch, similar to the Nintendo Switch's popularity with Zelda.

Chinese games, rich in cultural elements, are gaining global appeal. Ying believes ancient Chinese stories, enduring for millennia, are ripe for gaming.